The Association Between Defensive Styles and Early Maladaptive Schemas in Patients with Migraine Headaches

Migraine is one of the main reasons for primary and secondary headaches worldwide and has significant effects on patients’ life. Based on recent studies, psychological factors may affect the severity, frequency, and the duration of migraine attacks.
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between defensive style and early maladaptive schemas in the patients with migraine headaches.
The sample size consisted of 75 (male and female) patients which was based on Cochran’s formula. Among the clients who referred to neurology clinics, patients with migraine headaches were selected by convenience sampling, they completed defensive styles questionnaire (DSQ-40), Young’s early maladaptive schemas (YSQ-SF), and Ahvaz migraine questionnaire (AMQ). Statistical analyses were conducted by correlation coefficient and stepwise regression.
The results showed that there was a positive and significant relationship between immature defense style with the components including abandonment, mistrust, social isolation, emotional inhibition, defectiveness, failure, vulnerability, obedience, entitlement, insufficient self-control, enmeshment, and dependent and unrelenting standards. In addition, there was a negative and significant relationship between mature defensive style with the components namely social isolation and defectiveness. Neurotic defensive style was not compatible with any of the component schemas.
The results obtained from the current research indicate that early maladaptive schemas can act as the foundation of emotional and behavioral tendencies and defensive styles in the patients with migraine headaches.